Breathing airways are well known medical devices used to insure an unobstructed passageway from the patient's upper pharyngeal region through his lips. In surgical situations and medical emergencies an unconcious patient's natural airway may become obstructed with the tongue. An airway generally consists of a curved portion to reach the pharynx while restraining the patient's tongue and a straight portion which passes through the lips and teeth. The straight portion must be rigid enough to resist involuntary biting which could close the airway passage through the teeth.
Airways can be constructed as enclosed conduits or open sections. An airway can be used to administer oxygen enriched gases and other therapeutic materials and can be used to guide a catheter into the respiratory tract as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,756,244.
To accomplish the intended function, an airway must be of the correct size to fit the pharynx of the particular patient. The length and shape of the path between the lips and pharynx will vary considerably between an infant and a large adult. In the prior art, a correct fit between patient and airway is accomplished by having airways constructed to numerous sizes. This practice requires that medical users of airways such as operating rooms and ambulance services be supplied with multiple sizes of airways.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,913 discloses a telescoping collapsible airway to provide more convenient storage in a pocket or doctor's bag. This airway is of metal or hard plastic construction and provides no means for securing the telescoping body at intermediate positions before insertion in a patient.